Status of Exploited Marine Fishery Resources of India

Abstract

The marine fisheries sector in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth during
the last five decades both quantitatively and qualitatively. The subsistence fisheries
during the early 50’s produced about 0.5 million tonnes annually. Currently, the
total production is about 2.7 million tonnes. This increase is the result of
improvements in the harvesting methods, increase in the fishing effort and extension
of fishing into relatively deeper regions. The increased effort over time and space
is the consequence of ever-increasing demand for marine food both from external
and internal markets. This phenomenal growth also brought in imbalances in the
exploitation across the regions and among the resources. Besides, with production
levels for most of the commercially important resources showing signs of approaching
saturation levels, inter sectoral conflicts increased due to competition to exploit the
common resource. Fleet size and operations underwent quantitative and qualitative
change. Traditional boats are being increasingly motorised and the mechanised
sector operating with trawlers and gillnetters are resorting to multi-day fishing, thus
contributing to increased fishing pressure. The situation thus calls for an appraisal
of the status of the resources on a regional and all India basis, taking into consideration
the scientific database developed over a period of about half a century to enable
formulate suitable strategies of exploitation and management.